Nigeria’s First Lady, Mrs. Patience Jonathan, who became a Permanent Secretary in the government of Bayelsa State yesterday, has been paid a salary by that State since 1999, a SaharaReporters investigation has revealed.

That was the year she transferred her employment from Rivers State to Bayelsa after her husband became the deputy governor to deposed former governor and ex-convict, DSP Alamieyeseigha.

Several sources in the state civil service, say, however, that Mrs. Jonathan has never shown up for work. Yesterday, Seriake Dickson, the Governor of Bayelsa State who was himself handpicked for that position by President Goodluck Jonathan, appointed Mrs. Jonathan Permanent Secretary in the state civil service.

One of our sources said of Mrs. Jonathan: "She is a staff of civil service, she was being paid until a biometrics was done by [former governor] Sylva. She refused to show up for verification in 2009/2010 and her salary was briefly stopped."

The source stated that Mrs. Jonathan transferred her service from Rivers State as a director in the Ministry of Education and was considered on "on leave of absence" even in Rivers State while her husband worked at the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

During the tenure of President Umaru Yar'adua, Mr. Jonathan, as Vice President, refused to declare his wife's assets, claiming that she was a civil servant in Bayelsa State.

The promotion to Permanent Secretary accorded Mrs. Jonathan contravenes civil service rules, according to the workers in state. They described her as a ghost worker who has not put in any work to deserve a place in the civil service. Instead of the promotion, they told SaharaReporters, such a worker ought to have been sanctioned and dismissed for truancy, as well as made to refund all of the back pay she has accumulated for absconding from work.





http://saharareporters.com/news-page/sources-first-lady-patience-jonathan-has-received-salaries-bayelsa-state-1999

This country makes me wonder why. . .

According to Bayelsa state though, she has not worked the last 12 years. Yet the state continued to pay her all this time?

So how will the law work on this.

God saves us oo

Nigeria...an enemy unto herself!

Na today? When my mom left the civil service in the early 80s to the US to study, she was told not to bother resigning. Apparently, her supervisor kept collecting her salary, and she realized sometime in 2004 she was still in civil service payroll. Someone was "eating" the salary all this while

ok,seriously..how do i become a GHOST worker?
#freelancing

nwanna89: Na today? When my mom left the civil service in the early 80s to the US to study, she was told not to bother resigning. Apparently, her supervisor kept collecting her salary, and she realized sometime in 2004 she was still in civil service payroll. Someone was "eating" the salary all this while

OMG!!

So our First Lady is a 'ghost worker'!!!

Fourcade: ok,seriously..how do i become a GHOST worker?
#freelancing

Forward me information too oo

Nigeria, you never seize to surprise me.

^^lo.

Bayelsa is crazy! Hunger dey kill person here and someone had the guts to throw money inside a full money bag. What a waste, what a crime! . I want to cry, i need #200 for food, pls anyone

of a truth; THIS WOMAN IS A CABAL

9ja way

God, I have lost the energy to address this country.

Is that what Nigeria has become?

I am ashamed as a Nigerian.

Sigh!!!

First Lady, Ghost worker now Perm Sec. all rolled into one. E don tey wey this people the thief.

The retarded governor is just being a psychophant...I hate democracy in nigeria..I don't even agree d fact that she was a director in a ministry..its shocking

Sahara reporters, the mouthpiece of Boko Haram, the mouthpiece of CIA covet operation code named "Boko Haram"; you guys are located in NY with sole aim of helping to break-up Nigeria by 2015. Una go fail.

Politically speaking, this is a wrong move by the Jonathans. This is coming @ a time when the opinion poll is against the govt. Not surprised abt the ghost worker issue coz she spends her time in Abj as the 1st lady, instead of her desk in Bayelsa. Anyone that still claims this govt means well needs to get his head checked.

Pataki: God, I have lost the energy to address this country.

Is that what Nigeria has become?

I am ashamed as a Nigerian.

I suspect that's what they are trying to do. . .wear us out.

When you think this is the absolute lowest, last of the rung, rock bottom-est they can go, they come up with something else.

My beaf is not even with the article and the first lady's ghost-worker status in the ministry of education (say what? Her? Really? Wow!), my beaf is with the picture. I involuntarily let out a scream when I saw it.

Ilu yi ti baje tan (this country is spoilt and finally rotten)!

Now GEJ is trying to scheme a way out of it should it become inevitable to declare his assets. tief tief mentality

when the number 1 woman of the nation is engaged in this what then should a number infinity person like me be doing. how can this nation be saved for God sake

See as these fools dey expose themselves so. Mr. and Mrs. Jonah, chief fighters of corruption!

The two of you will not kill me with stress, I beg. So I ordered me customized punch bags designed in the form of male(GEJ) and female(peeh peeh) mannequins . When I start my kick boxing exercises, I target the head of the mannequins, as I recall the silly deeds of these two. And it is sooo therapeutic. Try it! .

I only wish I could kick in understanding into their heads in real life.

i don laff tire

this pple are absolutely shameless

the dumb governor felt he was making a historic announcement not knowing that he was further revealing the level of corruption in public sector.

Thou God of Hannaniah and Sephirah, pls visit our land!!!!

Kobojunkie: This country makes me wonder why. . .

According to Bayelsa state though, she has not worked the last 12 years. Yet the state continued to pay her all this time?

You mean she has not reported for duty for past 12 years....? Very ridiculous

The creamy photo looks crying ( Is Pat. crying in this pix?).

And ωε are blaming the abokis for having numerous ghost workers on government payroll. 9ja what a fail state.